Current wireless mobile communication devices include microprocessors, memory, soundcards, and run one or more software applications. Examples of software applications used in these wireless devices include micro-browsers, address books, email clients, and wavetable instruments. Additionally, wireless devices have access to plurality of services via the Internet. A wireless device may, for example, be used to browse web sites on the Internet, to transmit and receive graphics, and to execute streaming audio and/or video applications.
Wireless devices are typically fully tested before being shipped from a manufacturer's factory. This is especially important for the newer generations of wireless devices which have increased functionality as described above.
Once a wireless device is assembled in full plastics, it typically progresses through various test stages to test the function of each of its components. These test stages may include the following: manual testing (e.g., keyboard, buttons, the functions initiated by each, etc.), radio frequency (“RF”) testing, electrical and software tests (e.g., charger, vibrator, software applications, display, etc.), audio testing (e.g. internal microphone, internal speaker, buzzer, etc.), environmental testing, etc.
With respect to manual testing, connecting wireless devices to test equipment often requires the use of bulky external fixturing (e.g., “bulls-eye”) that may not only hinder access to and portability of the device under test (“DUT”), but may also require the partial disassembly of the DUT which in turn may compromise the integrity of the DUT.
A need therefore exists for the efficient functional testing of assembled wireless devices. Accordingly, a solution that addresses, at least in part, the above and other shortcomings is desired.